Gripping device.



B. R. RICHARDS.

GRIPPING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26, 1910.

1,048,585. Patented Dec.31,1912.

F 16.4. FIG. 3.

I i z \1 INVENTOR w \TNESSES, 5i fifizbfian/s I g gar/M Y ATTORNEYcumnuuu lmwm-nu'n (\LJYASHINGTON. I .c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST R. RICHARDS, 0F CHICAGQILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 SEARS, ROEBUCK ANDCO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GRIPPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

Application filed September 26, 1910. Serial No. 583,847.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST R. Rioimnns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Gripping Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic gripping device adapted to beinserted into the interior of a body for gripping said body so that itmay be hoisted, or for any other desired purpose.

The device is especially adapted for use in hoisting rolls of paper, orthe like, which are wound on tubes of metal or other hard material, thedevice being inserted in one end of thetube.

One object of the invention is to produce a gripping device of thecharacter set forth which is simple in construction and very strong.

Another object is to produce a gripping device in which the partsautomatically assume their gripping position when the device isassociated with the body to be moved.

Another object is to produce a gripping device in which the strength ofthe gripping action varies proportionately with the resistance ofi'eredby the body to be moved.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the detaileddescription hereafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the longitudinal centralsection through a gripping device embodying the features of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation, and Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The embodiment of the invention which is herein shown comprises a sleeve1 having its lower end closed by a screw-threaded tapering plug 2, andhaving an annular plug 3 threaded in its upper end. A rod 1 is slidablymounted in the plug 3, the lower end of said rod lying within the sleeve1 between plugs 2 and 3. Said lower end of the rod 1 has wedgingsurfaces 5 thereon, said wedging surfaces in this instance havinglongitudinal ribs 6. A plurality of jaws 7, in the present instance twoin number, lie in openings 8 in opposite sides of the sleeve 1, theinner sides of said jaws being inclined to engage the wedging surfaces 5on the rod 4, said inner faces of the jaws 7 having grooves 9 therein inwhich the ribs 7 device is raised by means of 6 travel. Keys 10 fixed tothe ribs '6 are adapted to fit in under-cut portions 9 of the grooves 9to hold the jaws 7 in contact with the wedging surfaces 5 upon the rod4. It will be observed that relative sliding movement between the rod 1and the sleeve 1 will result in moving the jaws 7 inwardly or outwardly,depending upon the direction of such movement. The outer faces of thejaws 7 are curved to conform to the interior of the paper-roll tubes,said outer faces having teeth formed therein to more effectively gripsaid tube.

Fixed to the upper end of the sleeve 1 is a ring 11 having a pair ofcars 12 thereon. A lever 13 is pivoted upon the upper portion of the rod4 and is connected with the sleeve 1 by means of a pin 14: passingthrough the cars 12 and said lever, for the purpose of sliding thesleeve 1 and its attached parts with relation to the rod 1 to retractthe jaws 7.

A member 15 which is adapted to have a hoisting cable attached theretois connected with the upper end of the rod 4, in the present instance bymeans of a universal connection consisting of a ball 16 rotatablymounted in the lower portion of the member 15, the rod 4; passingupwardly through the lower portion of the member 15 and the ball 16, andhaving its upper end suitably secured to said ball. As will be observed,this connection permits of relative swinging and rotary movement betweenthe rod 4 and the member 15.

In use, the lever 13 is swung to raise the sleeve 1 upon the rod 4 so asto carry the jaws 7 inwardly, and the sleeve 1 is then inserted in theupper end of the tube of the roll of paper to be lifted. \Vhen the lever13 is released the sleeve 1 will move by gravity'upon the rod 1 and thuscarry the jaws 7 into engagement with the interior of the paper-rolltube. \Vhen the gripping a hoist or other suitable mechanism, the weightof the roll of paper acting upon the jaws 7 will tend to draw said jawsdownwardly. This downward movement of the jaws 7 will cause said jaws tobe spread apart owing to the wedging surfaces 5 on the rod 4, so thatsaid jaws will grip the paper-roll tube with a force proportionate tothe weight of the roll. When the load has been transported to the pointdesired, the lever 13 is moved to carry the sleeve 1 upwardly, thuswithdrawing the jaws 7 from their gripping engagement with the tube andpermitting the device to be withdrawn there from.

It will be seen that the device herein disclosed is very simple and verystrong, and that in use the portion which lies at the outside of theroll. of paper takes up very little space. The rolls may therefore bepiled upon each other in tiers of a maximum height in a given storagespace. 'By gripping the roll from the interior, l1ab1l1ty of damage bythe gripping device to the paper on the exterior of the roll iseliminated.

lVhile I have hereinbefore described the device as used for hoistingrolls of paper, I do not intend thereby to limit the device to such use.Minor changes in the construction of the device may also be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention. I therefore do notwish to be limited to the exact details herein shown and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for gripping an object from its interior, comprising amember having wedging surfaces thereon, a hollow body surrounding aportion of and slidable on said member; gripping jaws carried by saidbody adjacent said wedging surfaces, whereby relative movement of saidmember and said body will force said jaws outwardly into grippingengagement with the interior of said object; and a lever connected atone point to said member and at another point to said hollow body formoving said body with reference to said member.

2. A gripping device comprising a rod having attaching means at one end;a hollow body slidably mounted upon the other end of said red, the lastmentioned end of said rod having wedging surfaces thereon; a pluralityof gripping jaws mounted in openings in said body; and a rib and grooveconnection between said gripping jaws and said wedging surfaces wherebya movement of said body longitudinally of said rod will carry said jawsinwardly or outwardly.

3. A gripping device comprising a rod having attaching means at one end;a hollow body slidably mounted upon the other end of said rod, the lastmentioned end of said rod having wedging surfaces thereon; a pluralityof gripping jaws mounted in openings in said body; a rib and grooveconnection between said gripping jaws and said wedging surfaces wherebya movement of said body longitudinally of said rod will. carry said jawsinwardly or outwardly; and a lever pivotally connected with said bodyand said rod for sliding said body longitudinally of said rod.

4. A gripping device comprising a rod; an attaching member having auniversal connection with the upper end of said rod;

a body slidably mounted upon the lower end of said rod, said rod havingwedging surfaces thereon; jaws carried by said body and adapted to bemoved in One direction by said wedging surfaces; a sliding connectionbetween said jaws and said rod for moving the jaws in the oppositedirection; and a lever attached to said rod and said body for movingsaid body longitudinally of said rod to operate said jaws.

5. Agripping device comprising a sleeve; a tapered plug threaded in thelower end of said sleeve; an annular plug threaded in the upper end ofsaid sleeve; :1 rod slidably mounted in said annular plug, one end ofsaid rod lying within said sleeve and having wedging surfaces thereon;jaws mounted in openings in said sleeve, and having tongue and grooveconnections with .said wedging surfaces; and a lever connected with saidsleeve and said rod for moving said sleeve longitudinally of said rod.

6. A gripping device for hoists, comprising a rod; a cable-attachingmember having a universal connection with the upper end of said rod; abody slidably mounted upon the lower end of said rod, said rod havingwedging surfaces thereon; jaws carried by said body and adapted to bemoved in one direction by said wedging surfaces; a sliding connectionbetween said jaws and said rod for moving the jaws in the oppositedirection; and manually-operable means at tached to said rod and saidbody for moving said body longitudinally of said rod to operate saidjaws.

In testimony whereof I afiiX' my signa ture in presence of twowitnesses.

ERNST R. RICHARDS.

Witnesses E. LENNOX, l/VM. Pnr'risnnw.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

